The YouthForce Internship (YFI) Program Coordinator
YFI Program Coordinator
The YouthForce Internship (YFI) Program Coordinator supports our Program Manager, YFI team members, and interns with planning, recruiting, executing, and continuously improving the YouthForce Internship program.
The Opportunity
YouthForce NOLA (YouthForce) is an education, business, and civic collaborative that prepares New Orleans public school students for the successful pursuit of high-wage, high-demand career pathways. Through our network of partner schools, employers, training providers, and community organizations, YouthForce offers expanded coursework offerings, career exposure and experiences, soft skills training, and employer-validated credentials. YouthForce’s vision is that our graduates will thrive economically and be the most sought after talent for hiring and advancement in the region’s high-wage, fast-growing industries. YouthForce NOLA staff serve as the backbone of a citywide, collaborative effort - delivering quality work-based learning experiences, technical training, and facilitating ongoing systems change.
YouthForce was founded in response to a collective call to action. We believe to our core that soliciting, listening to, and following the lead of individuals from backgrounds and identities that reflect the young people we serve, who are predominantly youth of color from low-income backgrounds, is essential to our success. As we hire for this role, we are actively seeking to ensure our team better reflects the demographics of the City of New Orleans and the backgrounds and identities of the young people we serve. We are also deeply committed to ensuring YouthForce is an inclusive and equitable place for all team members, and we aim to build an environment that supports an authentic sense of belonging.
YouthForce Internship (YFI) was first piloted in 2015. Since then, we’ve partnered with over 150 employers who have hosted almost 1,000 interns. Our summer program (May-July) typically serves 100-250 rising high school seniors. Late April-early August is our “busy season” when we’re all hands on deck with enrollment, training, and supporting youth interns, employers, and YFI team members. It’s an exciting time to be a part of the YFI team, and a time of increased commitment. This Summer (2021) YFI has remained virtual, but we are very hopeful to be back in-person next summer. From September to December, we plan for the next year by debriefing the previous summer, making process improvements, and setting up systems for the next year. In January, we begin gearing up for summer programming with intern recruitment, seasonal staff recruitment, and seasonal staff onboarding. YFI is an important way to support youth in gaining real-world experience and building their soft skills. All YFI team members must be deeply passionate about working with youth and setting them up, directly or indirectly, to have a successful and meaningful work-based learning experience.
Location: For safety precautions due to Covid-19, YouthForce is working remotely through September 2021. We will need the person in this role to be living in the New Orleans area by October 2021.
Position Type: Full-Time, Non-Exempt
Supervisor: YouthForce Internship (YFI) Program Manager, Eva Dils
Timeline and Application: The application deadline for this role is September 3, 2021. Aligned with our values of Transparency and Respect, we are sharing this Hiring Process Overview with all prospective candidates.
To Apply: Please submit your application using this form.
Skills and Mindsets to Succeed
The YFI Program Coordinator must be committed to the vision and mission of YouthForce NOLA and have an unwavering belief that all young people have the potential to achieve academic, professional, and personal success. This person will also serve as a role model for high school interns participating in the YFI program, so they should consistently model workplace soft skills, demonstrate a deep belief in the importance of soft skills as critical to workplace success, and feel empowered to share their own unique experiences in navigating the workforce.
Additionally, the successful candidate must demonstrate:
- Ability to adapt to changing and challenging circumstances by staying positive and outcomes-oriented
- Belief in YouthForce’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging; a willingness to examine personal identity and biases and engage in conversations around race, class, and privilege
- Strong relationship-building skills demonstrated by the ability to build trust and work collaboratively with a wide variety of individuals, particularly youth
- Excellent time management, attention to detail, and organizational skills
- Ability to communicate clearly and effectively to both internal and external audiences
- Ability to accept, adapt to, and give feedback in a mature manner
- Proactive problem-solving skills and willingness to speak up when something can be done more effectively
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Suite, especially Excel/Sheets, folder organization in Google Drive, and Google Calendar
- This position will require local travel to and from partner high schools, special events, and as needed for assigned tasks. Access to reliable transportation and possession of a valid driver's license is strongly preferred. Auto insurance is required while driving for YouthForce business.
Preferred Prior Experience
- Participation in YFI or another YouthForce program
- Understanding of the youth experience as an alumni of a partner school is highly preferred
- Experience working with youth in a near-peer mentorship capacity
Position Details
The Program Coordinator works with the Program Manager to make sure all aspects of YFI are planned and executed with excellence. These two positions work collaboratively to divide up the work in a way that aligns with their skills, interests, and capacity, but much of the Program Coordinator’s role will be internal, logistical support for the program. Specifically, this role is responsible for:
Program Logistics, Data, and Documentation:
- Support with planning and execution of the YFI Program, including project planning in Asana, executing communication plans, supporting other staff members, etc.
- Prepare/draft/edit documents and presentations, print and distribute workbooks, handbooks, and other documents, order and distribute swag and certificates
- Track surveys and monitor/manage other data
- Coordinate logistics related to programming, training space and events, transportation, etc.
- Co-manage, with the YFI Program Manager, intern documentation collection and enrollment processes to ensure all interns enrolled in the YFI Program are compliant
- Support efforts to codify, improve, and train other staff on the enrollment process and support students with unique situations through the enrollment process
- Manage all materials and technology required for YFI programming, including inventory, ordering, distribution/set up, troubleshooting, etc.
- Serve as the 21st Century Grant Site Coordinator and manage attendance data for YFI programs
Intern Recruitment and Ambassador Program
- Collaborate with the YFI Program Manager to plan and execute student recruitment, which may include: ordering and distributing materials, scheduling meetings and events, conducting recruitment and application support sessions with students, and supporting data management and communication
- Manage the Ambassador Program (which invites program alumni to support recruitment)
Seasonal Hiring and Staff Support
- Coordinate hiring processes for seasonal staff, including YFI Coaches and Project Assistants
- Support with planning and execution of on-boarding for YFI Coaches and Project Assistants
- Co-manage Project Assistants with the YFI Program Manager
Special Events
- Plan and manage logistics for special events such as Dress Your Best and Alumni Panels
- Support planning and execution of additional special events in collaboration with the Employer Team and the rest of the YFI team (e.g., Meet & Greet, Industry Panels, Closing Ceremony, etc).
Additional Tasks and Team Engagement
- Other duties as assigned on an ad hoc or seasonal basis in service of the YFI team/program and the broader mission and work of YouthForce NOLA
- As part of our culture of collaboration and valuing every team member's perspective, every YouthForce team member is expected to actively participate in structures for individual and organization-wide feedback and continuous improvement, including, but not limited to: staff meetings, surveys, professional development sessions, and retreats; twice annual formal performance management conversations; and hoc organizational improvement initiatives.
Compensation and Benefits
Starting salary for this role is budgeted at $40,000-$43,000. Starting salaries will be determined based on previous experience, internal organizational equity, and equity with the market. Applicants will have the opportunity to discuss salary in the initial interview to ensure alignment in expectations and budget for the role.
Full-time employee benefits include: 100% employer-paid medical, vision, and dental premiums for employees and 20% employer-paid for dependents; 100% employer-paid life insurance for employees; a flexible spending account; an automatic 3% employer 401k contribution and immediate 100% vesting; paid vacation; paid sick leave; 16 paid holidays and 2 floating personal holidays in 2021; and 8 weeks of paid parental leave for all new parents.
YouthForce NOLA is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and has a strong commitment to sustaining a diverse and inclusive team. As such, it is the continuing practice of YouthForce to consider all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, physical or mental disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal, state, or local law, provided they are otherwise able to perform the essential functions of the job.